WWII bomber crew members awarded Distinguished Flying Cross

Air Force Links ^ | Staff Sgt. J.G. Buza

[SandRat]

Former Staff Sgt. Robert D. Speed salutes Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley after receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross for his role in the Ploesti, Italy, mission 63 years ago. Mr. Speed was a member of a B-24 Liberator Bomber crew who encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire July 15, 1944, and as a result lost one engine. The crew still managed to complete their mission of bombing oil refineries in Romania, but was shot down the next day while participating in a raid over Austria; they were taken prisoner of war. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cohen A. Young)

[SandRat]

A delayed recognition for Valor and Bravery to WWII Vets.

[exit82]

At the time, they could not imagine being alive, as old men, 63 years later.

They, receiving DFCs, for what they considered just” doing their jobs”.

They, who were not guaranteed another sunrise, went out into the unknown on almost a daily basis, fighting for their country, for their families, and for us, the future.

Where do we find such men?

We are ever in their debt.

[Dumpster Baby]

Ploesti was a low level mission where many slow moving B24's were shot down and badly damaged.

[BallyBill]

Not too long ago there was another story on FR that had to do with the Ploesti Raid. One of the more interesting missions of WWII.

[GBA]

Better late than never...and it will never be enough.

[Professional Engineer]

ping

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Salute these guys.

[Gritty]

*Salute*

[Eric in the Ozarks]

My dad and one of his brothers were WW II fliers. Dad flew C-46s over the Hump and Uncle Lloyd flew in the 8th AF out of England and then later out of Benghazi.

[TFFKAMM]

Better late than never. Thanks for your service and bravery, men.

[Ax]

I think those guys flew with same Bomb Group that former Senator George McGovern did, from that base in Italy.

[Valin]

Thank you.

AIR FORCE!!!

[Blessed]

These pictures are from the first Ploesti mission.The B24’s flew out of Bengazi in Northern Africa.Their were 5 medal of honors from that one mission.It was the most “decorated”
air battle of World War II.

My dad was shot down on the 1st Ploesti mission and spent 16 months in a Rumanian POW camp.He always believed the lone plain shown in this picture was his plane as they were following the plane with the cameras.

[PAR35]

If it was fairly recent, it probably wasn’t these, but I’ll link them anyway:

The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Ploesti Raid - Aug. 1, 1943 - Jan. 27th, 2003
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-vetscor/830308/posts

The FReeper Foxhole Revisits The Ploesti Raid - (Aug. 1, 1943) - May 15th, 2004
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-vetscor/1136027/posts

[PAR35]

Ploesti was a low level mission where many slow moving B24's were shot down and badly damaged.

Fairly fouled up in its execution, as well - planes approaching from the wrong direction, dropping bombs through other formations, among other problems.

[petertare]

I visit an old gent about one a year who was on the Ploesti raid. He was a B24 pilot. Basically said the raid was snafud from start to finish. Clound cover prevented them from finding the IP and target. Formations came in from the wrong direction at the wrong time because of nav errors, etc. The site was more heavily defended than thought. He flew out of N Africa. Nice old gent.

This guy is still a mechanic at a small airport in Iowa.

[PAR35]

The famous raid on Ploesti was in August, 1943, before the Italian mainland was liberated.

They flew from Pantanella, Italy

While they may have bombed Ploesti, it was not as part of the epic attack.

[Dumpster Baby]

It would be great if he could somehow prove that was his plane. I have Steve Birdsall's "Log Of The Liberators", and Ploesti was covered extensively.

(pause)

That inspired me to get out the book and see how the "smoke stack" picture was captioned.

The Sandman trails Chug-a-Lug across the burning target.

Is that any help?

[Rb ver. 2.0]

bump for later.